Athletics select hurler Komine in ninth round
• Komine within striking distance of elite pitchers
By Stacey Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Shane Komine, a 1998 Kalani graduate, was among six players with ties to Hawai'i chosen in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft.
Associated Press |
Nebraska two-time All-America pitcher Shane Komine was picked by the Oakland Athletics in the ninth round. The senior right-hander, the most decorated pitcher in Cornhuskers' history, returned to school last year after he could not come to terms with the St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted him in the 19th round.
College seniors usually lose leverage in the draft because they have no alternatives. In addition, the 1998 Kalani High graduate had surgery on his right shoulder in September. So being selected in the ninth round was somewhat of a surprise.
"I said all year long that I had no regrets about coming back," Komine said in a telephone interview from Nebraska. "With the injury, it looked like it might not work out. But I'm happy with things now."
Contract negotiations must wait. Komine (9-1, 1.92 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 79¡ innings) is scheduled to pitch Friday's NCAA Super Regional Opener against Richmond. Winner of the three-game series advances to the World Series.
Then there was the case of Iolani School graduate Micah Kila Ka'aihue, a first baseman/right-handed pitcher. The only prep player from Hawai'i selected yesterday — in the 15th round by Kansas City. The Royals had called Ka'aihue, as well as two other players, during the seventh round, he said. Ka'aihue said he agreed to a prescribed bonus if the Royals picked him in the seventh round, but they ended up taking Trinity College senior right-hander Jonah Bayliss.
"It was a good offer," Ka'aihue said of the bonus, which he would not disclose.
Still, he was pleased to be drafted. He will meet with Royals area scout Eric Tokunaga today.
"He is an advanced hitter for his age," Tokunaga said. "He can drive the ball to all fields."
Ka'aihue also has the bloodlines. His father, Kala Ka'aihue, played professionally, including as a player and bullpen coach for the defunct Hawaii Islanders, a triple-A franchise of the Pacific Coast League.
Speaking of bloodlines, Pepperdine junior Duke Sardinha (Kamehameha '98) was chosen in the 19th round by the Colorado Rockies. Despite missing most of the 2000 season with a wrist injury, the Rockies still drafted him in the 41st round last year. But he declined a $100,000 offer in hopes of improving his stock in this draft.
"I was kind of disappointed," Sardinha said of where he was drafted yesterday.
It was the fifth time someone from the Sardinha family was drafted. Older brother Dane was picked in the second round out of Kamehameha by Kansas City in 1997 and again in the second round by Cincinnati out of Pepperdine in 2000. He agreed to a major league contract in lieu of a bonus and is presently at double-A Chattanooga of the Southern League.
Younger brother Bronson was the 34th overall pick out of Kamehameha by the New York Yankees last year. He received a $1 million bonus and is at single-A Greensboro of the South Atlantic League.
"Right now, we're working towards trying to get something done," Duke said. "I'm ready to start my pro career."
The two surprise picks were Brigham Young junior Kainoa Obrey, a third baseman, and Saddleback junior college freshman Reid Santos, a left-handed pitcher. Both players were injured this past season.
Obrey, who was limited to 10 games because of lower back pain, was chosen in the 11th round by Kansas City. The 1999 Iolani School graduate said rest was all he needed. He was able to practice later and that's when Kansas City's area scout in Utah noticed him. Obrey then got a workout in front of the club's higher echelon of scouts in California.
"You never know about these type of things," Obrey said. "I was fortunate they did get to see me play."
Last summer, Obrey was named one of the top pro prospects at the wooden bat New England Collegiate Baseball League.
"I remember he was so disappointed we wasn't drafted out of high school," recalled Tokunaga. "He said he would be ready for 2002, so this is like a dream come true."
Santos missed the entire season at Saddleback while recovering from elbow surgery in July. He was drafted in the 13th round by Cleveland, making it the third consecutive year he has been selected. He was a 23rd-round pick by Montreal out of Castle High in 2000 and a 42nd-round pick by Texas out of Saddleback last year.
University of Hawai'i recruit Justin Azze, a left-handed pitcher from Orange Coast (Calif.) junior college, was selected in the 10th round by Montreal.
"If they come around with sixth- or seventh-round money, I'll sign," Azze said, referring to a six-figure bonus. "But I don't know what will happen."
Azze, who is 6 feet 3 and 190 pounds, was 9-5 with a 2.74 ERA. In 84 innings, he allowed 64 hits and 25 walks, while striking out 79. He was a second-team all-Orange Empire/Mission Conference selection.
Azze also received scholarship offers from UC Santa Barbara and Cal State-Fullerton and had recruiting trip offers to Miami and Texas A&M.
"I fit in well over there in Hawai'i," said Azze, who visited UH in October. "I'm a big water guy. Surfing, fishing, diving. I love it all. And the food is great. I'm a big fan of the food over there. The manapua, I'm big on that. The teriyaki chicken. I love the teriyaki and fried rice. I'm a big fan of macaroni salad."
The draft ended after the 22nd round. The selections continue at 6 a.m. today and will end at the 50th round or when all teams have passed on their selections.
